Uncertain Steps
by bloomsburry
Summary: Sakura wanted to learn ice skating but her mother doesn't know how. After a lot of persuasion, her mother was hard pressed to appeased her temper tantrums, and that was where a black haired boy came in, who reluctantly took Sakura under his guiding hands.


**Disclaimer: **I want to own Naruto but Masashi Kishimoto already had taken my chance of actually owning it.

Thank you so much Yami for editing this!!I know I've been driving you mad with a lot of my stories. But I promise, I'll stop until my class starts.

Thank you so much for being patient with me!!

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"**Uncertain Steps"**

**Rated K+**

**Itachi/Sakura/Sasuke**

**Random**

**One shot**

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"But mommy!" a whining nine year old child tagged at the fabric of her mother's jacket sleeve. She was looking up at her mother with beseeching sea foam eyes and a cute pout on her lips;obviously trying to convince her mother to agree with her about something trivial.

"Teach me ice skating, Mommy!" curly pink locks bobbed when the woman shook her head in refusal**;** eyes closed while her lips were pressed into a severe line.

"I can't, Sakura." Turquoise eyes fluttered open to stare at the pink haired girl, clutching at her sleeve. "I don't know how." The admission was said in a soft but begrudging tone as the woman patted her daughter's head in apology.

The child drew a disappointed scowl, her lower lip taking in a full pout.

"I want to skate, Mommy." She appealed, her round eyes transfixed on her mother. "I want to skate like those other children," she pointed out towards the kids her age, who were enjoying the rushed of adrenaline as they glided themselves around the smooth ice, the December breeze ruffling their hair and whipping their scarves that tied around their necks.

Sakura's eyes landed on the spiky haired boy showing off his moves towards his older brother, clearly trying to impress him. But Uchiha Itachi look on his younger brother with a blank and bored expression on his face while he played his part as a watchful older brother; an apathetic older brother as he pulled his younger brother to safety when he nearly collided into someone.

"Sasuke," the younger Uchiha looked up at his brother with an embarrass face, "You should know better than to go at that speed." Itachi said quietly; reproach coloring every syllable as he directed his enigmatic stare at his brother. "You might have injured yourself."

"I'm sorry, brother." Sasuke responded meekly, bowing his head.

A muffle sigh escape from Itachi's lips as regarded Sasuke's bowed head. "You can go skate now," he murmured, placing a hand on top of Sasuke's head.

Sasuke lifted his head, his eyes brightening and then shot away from Itachi's hand; his small legs propelling him forward and towards the scurrying people, who parted like a sea for Sasuke's amazing speed and exuberance.

Impervious to the people's incredulous stare, Sasuke glided on the ice arena like he was born to be an ice skater.

Itachi watched him go; mentally shaking his head for allowing himself to be submissive to Sasuke's irritating persistent for having him as his baby-sitter, and at the same time trying to impress him with his skating prowess.

Itachi slowly glided over the ice**;** the sound of the blades screeching underneath him was deafened by the sound of awes and 'ahs'as the people turn to stare at his younger brother's exhibition.

His younger brother was a complete show off. Itachi concluded, watching from the distance as Sasuke whirled around and landed on the thick ice with a final twist; arms open and a leg was raised behind him. A professional skater couldn't have done it any better.

But Sasuke couldn't do have done it any better without his help. Itachi had taught him that move when they still had that small pond behind their house. It was small but sufficient enough for a 6 year old boy to accommodate his small flaying limbs as he taught him.

Itachi had watched his brother slipped many times and shed a countless number of tears for his misgivings. Some of the older brothers might have given up after their younger sibling's numerous failed attempts, but Itachi didn't; he stayed with Sasuke and taught him until he was close to losing his impassive temper.

His work had proven to have gained impressive results as Sasuke circumnavigate himself around the ice arena, drawing the attention of many spectators.

Amusement glittered in his onyx orbs when his solitude was interrupted by a woman's voice a scant distance from where he was leaning. The small of his back was pressed against the metal bars of the railings with his arms crossed in front of him and a leg bent over the other; assuming a relax pose amongst the eruption of activities around him; skaters glided passed him while the woman who appeared beside him was neither wearing a pair of skates nor even interested of procuring one.

"Am I intruding you?" the pink haired woman inquired kindly, her turquoise orbs watchful.

It took Itachi ten seconds to response as his eyes had gone passed the woman and towards the child peering at him.

"No, Ma'am." His eyes glued to the sea foam orbs that shyly gazed up at him from the woman's back; a blush suffusing the girl's forehead when he continued to stare curiously at her.

He missed the grateful smile that appeared on the woman's face as the girl was forcefully tagged forward from her hiding place.

Itachi's eyes landed on the girl's pink hair then towards her heart shape face where he found the blushed coloring her face, interesting.

He wondered if this girl was one of his cumbersome fan girls.

The girl's eyes were wide like saucers now when the woman placed a hand on the girl's small shoulder saying. "My daughter doesn't know how to skate," Itachi's eyes snapped back to the woman, attentive. "And she keeps on insisting that I teach her,"

Sakura fidgeted, highly embarrassed at what her mother was trying to do. "Mom," she said in a hush tone, averting her gaze away from Sasuke's older brother who glances at her.

Her mother turned a deaf ear at her while Sasuke's brother shift his attention back at her mother.

"But I don't know how," the older woman admitted, her eyes staring straight at him. "That is why I came here to ask you to teach her." a horrified look was plastered in Sakura's face as her mother added. "She really likes your younger brother, and she wanted to impress him—"

"Mom!" Sakura whined, totally mortified beyond redemption as Sasuke's older brother cast an amused look at her.

"What?" the woman asked in an annoyed voice, looking down at her daughter with a scowl.

"You wanted to learn skate**,** so here's the right tutor for you," the woman turn back at the boy.

"I assume that you were the one who taught your brother how to skate?" the woman questioned while Itachi reluctantly jerked his head in agreement.

He did not know why he was in this situation**;** tutoring a girl that he had only met once in Sasuke's school was one of his lists of responsibilities. Now that he remembered about it, the girl was the same girl who had always gushed over his younger brother.

The girl was annoying as his brother had told him many times when Sasuke had imparted about his school to him. Haruno Sakura was the girl's name.

And Sasuke was right; the girl was annoying as she started to whine at her mother.

"Mom, I'm okay." Sakura whine; starting to protest against the idea of spending time with Sasuke's scary older brother. "I don't need to learn ice skating anymore."

Her mother frowned down at her, and then to Sakura's horror she was suddenly pushed forward. Her skates slide clumsily on the slippery ice and headed towards Sasuke's older brother, who grabbed her before she could fall.

"Don't be silly Sakura," Sakura could hear her mother talking behind her as her face was buried on the blue large jacket that her savior was wearing. "I'll be watching you here while the boy teaches you how to skate."

Surprise was written in Itachi's face as he jerked his head to look at the woman who look pleadingly at him. He could see that the woman was stressed and frustrated, maybe because of the annoying girl.

"Would you mind teaching her?" the woman asked; her eyes soft and compelling while Itachi inwardly rubbed his temple for getting into this messed. The girl in his arms stayed frozen as she waited for his reply.

He expelled a soft sigh as he finally complied with the woman's pleas.

"I'll be glad to teach her." Itachi reluctantly said, giving the woman a small smile.

It was then that his brother decided to grace them with his presence.

His skates emitting a screeching sound as he skidded to a halt in front of him. Sasuke's eyes immediately paused on the pink haired girl that he was keeping steady.

"Brother?" Sasuke said, silently asking what was happening while he had been showing off his moves.

Itachi wanted to close his eyes for having to explain to Sasuke's what had occurred.

"Sasuke have you met…ah…"Itachi looked down at the blushing girl, who had tense when his younger brother arrived.

"Sakura," Sasuke answered for him, scowling at the pink haired girl, who had whip her head to look adoringly at his younger brother.

"Hi Sasuke-kun," the girl said shyly, flushing like a tomato.

Sasuke frown deepen and was glaring at the girl.

"Yes. Sakura," Itachi said watching them both hopelessly, his lips turning downwards; his mood becoming sour. "Her mother asked me to teach her how to ice skate."

Sasuke eyes drifted towards the woman who was standing beside the rail. The woman smiled at him while he could only bestow a respectful nod at her.

Sasuke turn back towards his older brother, and watched as he helped Sakura out, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her balance.

"Keep your legs steady," Sasuke listen as his brother dictates the Sakura, who bit her lip and followed what Itachi had told her.

The pink haired woman just observed them, letting Itachi do his job while he began teaching her daughter.

"Don't slouch, and back straight. You have to find your balance." Itachi gently ordered, moving his hands on her small shoulder and showed her how it was done.

When she was already standing steadily, Itachi took both her hands carefully and took a step back from her; their hands stretched in front of them while Sakura was clutching Itachi's hand tightly, scared of slipping.

"Follow my lead," Itachi softly commanded, and then he guided her through the ice.

Sliding back while the girl remain still, her skate sloshing over the smooth ice as her eyes were wide with fear when she looked up at him. He was the one circumnavigating them around while she followed him.

"Relax," Itachi said, giving her a soft smile. "I won't let you fall."

Sakura somewhat relax; allowing herself to watched him move his legs. They moved passed the children who were racing towards the end of the ice arena.

"Go, Sakura!" Sakura flushed with embarrassment as she heard her mother shout; if her mother was trying to cheer her up, it was not helping as a couple of kids her age and above look in her direction.

"You can do it!" Sakura wanted to curl and die right then and there as Sasuke's older brother stopped moving to stare at her.

"You can't learn how to skate immediately if you're distracted." Sasuke's brother stated rather blandly at her while Sakura bit her trembling lips.

She cast a scrupulous look at Sasuke's direction, who was skating a distance from them; his face turn in their direction with a scowl on his face.

Sasuke was jealous of her. Sakura realized as she gazed up at Sasuke's brother; patiently waiting for her to focus on the task at hand.

Sakura nodded her head. She wanted to hurry before Sasuke would become totally vexed with her for stealing his older brother's attention.

The boy that she had only known as Sasuke's older brother began to guide her again. Her curious eyes remained focused on the older boy while he turn left, carrying her weight with his movement.

"What's your name?" Sakura asked shyly but there was a glint of confidence in her eyes when Itachi looked at her.

"Itachi," an impassive response came while he became silent after that.

Sakura surveyed him, her legs unconsciously moving as they continue to move around.

Itachi's eyes were blank but observant as he watched the girl's progress.

She was a fast learner. Itachi realized as the girl pump her legs forward, closing the distance between them.

"How old are you?" She asked while she became accustom to the slide of their skates on the ice. Fully aware what she was doing and was proud of accomplishing the easy feat. She took a furtive glance at Sasuke's direction, hoping that he knew about her achievement.

A hateful glare was the only answer that she gotten as Sasuke was more than aware of what she had done.

"Fourteen." Sakura brought her attention back to Itachi, trying to hide the despair after gaining an undesirable reaction from Sasuke.

Sakura gave her undivided attention to Sasuke's older brother, her face turning serious as if they were talking an important matter.

"How long have you been fourteen?" Itachi raised a brow at the question. Is the girl trying to draw him to a conversation? If she was, he would be reluctant to oblige to answer her.

And what a trifle conversation that was.

"A while." He responded, eying the girl as he skidded to a halt. The girl slammed into him when she could not stop on time.

Her face was buried in his jacket when Sasuke suddenly appeared beside them and blurting out the stupidest question that he had ever heard coming from Sasuke mouth.

"Are you alright, brother?"

Itachi stared dumbfounded at Sasuke while the girl in his arms, turn a wounded look at Sasuke for ignoring her. Sasuke in turn gave her a piercing stare.

"You should say sorry to my brother," Sasuke ordered tactlessly, glaring.

Tears gathered at the corners of Sakura's eyes as she face Sasuke's uncaring gaze; a sob rising from deep within her as she buried her head in Itachi's comfortable warmth.

Itachi shielded the girl from Sasuke and herded towards the woman waiting near the railings. Sasuke's saturnine presence followed them while he could feel that the girl was close to tears.

Resuming the lessons with Sasuke hanging over his shoulders and distracting his student, and then hurting her would be far more troublesome than he could imagine.

They would have to leave, and save the girl from suffering another hateful glare courtesy from his brat of a brother.

The girl's mother was smiling proudly at her daughter when Itachi escorted her back.

"You did it, Sakura!" The woman grabbed her daughter and drawing her into a tight hug.

The Uchiha brother's stared at the spectacle with mixed expression. Sasuke was still scowling while Itachi's face was a mask of indifference.

The girl had done well, but she was still far behind from Sasuke and him. The girl had depended on his support and Itachi was not sure if the girl could do it on her own.

Though he was not going to find out for himself since Sasuke needed some spanking at the moment; he really did know how to treat an admirer.

Itachi stared at the girl who was making soft whimpers on her mother's jacket; apparently crying.

He wondered why. Itachi thought wryly as he shot a pointed look at Sasuke. The younger Uchiha had the nerve to shrug his shoulder nonchalantly while Itachi wanted to force him to apologize to the girl.

"Sakura, why are you crying?" The girl's mother asked, lifting her daughter's chin.

"…It's nothing, mom." Sakura lied, scrubbing her face dry; and when all the tears were gone, she looks up at her mother's concern eyes. "I'm just happy that I know how to skate now."

The woman smiled and turned towards the silent pair watching them. Her eyes pausing on the older one, "Thank you," she said gratefully to the taller among the two boys.

A nod was Itachi's response as he regarded the girl with curious eyes; can't believe that the girl had lied in front of them. He would have willingly admitted to the woman that the cause of those tears was his brother. Sasuke needed to be scolded and if the woman can't provide that to him, then he will.

'Wait until later, Sasuke.**'** Itachi thought as he was prepared himself to leave.

"We have to leave," He said smoothly, in his soft lilting voice. "Our mother will be waiting for us."

Itachi glance at his brother who nodded in agreement.

"It has been pleasure meeting you, Haruno-san." They both bowed slightly, their good upbringing apparent in the way they held themselves.

"The same to you too," the woman replied cordially, also bowing. "It is really rare to see such respectful kids these days."

Sakura pouted at her mother's implication but she was not to be out shown.

"I thank you, Itachi-san for teaching me." She said politely, bowing her head in a docile manner. "You have been really of great help."

Onyx orbs with a glint of laughter stared back at her when he capitulated.

"It was an honor." He said, cocking his head to side; a small smile appearing in his lips that softened his stoic features.

"I will gladly teach you next time." He suggested after taking it into consideration.

"Really?" the words were wrenched from her in surprise. "You will?"

"Of course," Itachi assured, his hand unconsciously moving in its own accord to pat the girl's head. "How can't I?"

Pleasure flooded the girl's face, bringing an affectionate smile from the woman's face and a grim look from his brother.

"Thank you." The girl murmured; eyes sparkling with gladness and to Itachi's utmost astonishment, admiration; as she lifted her heart shape face at him.

"Thank you," she repeated, smiling convivially at him. "I will be a good student, I promise."

Itachi smiled at that, and ruffled the girl's hair before bidding their farewell with his moody brother skulking beside him.

"Sasuke," Itachi said ominously to his brother as they slide across the icy arena, his eyes fixed in front of him. "You'll wash the dishes tonight."

"But brother…!**"** Sasuke protested, but Itachi shot him a severe stare.

"I'll tell mother that you made a girl cry," that shot Sasuke up.

"You wouldn't like me to tell her that you've been bullying a girl do you?"

Sasuke childishly pouted at him as they exited the ice arena.

"No," he responded.

"Good," Itachi said, inwardly smiling at his brother's date to the dishwasher.

"And I need some help with the laundry."

A loud cry burst out from Sasuke that Itachi did not heed as he went to change their ice skates for their ninja boots.

His small vacation was over, and Itachi he needed to return to his ninja duties before his cousin, Shisui could see him having a good time.

Too late as the older man had already seen him whirling around with a girl in his arms and had taken pictures to prove it to their other team mate, Inuzuka Hana the next day.

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The pictures were later placed in the Uchiha album as the girl in that picture became a part of the Uchiha Clan.

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**The End**

**bloomsburry: **I know that it was totally random but I hope that you loved it!!

The results of the poll:

**1. Beneath the Porcelain Mask**

**2. New Years Eve**

**3. Hanami Dango Chapter 2**

**4. The Destined Path**

**5. Nothing to lose**

**6. Never an Ephemeral Love Story.**

So here's I'm going to do for the next couple of days:

I'll be updating A kiss between friends and the New Years Eve. Then after that, Beneath the Porcelain Mask and then Innocent Touches and finally, Hanami Dango. The rest will be posted later.

Hopefully, I could write all of this before my class starts. So wish me luck!!!

I wish I could write faster!!

**Please review!!!**

**It will give me an incentive to write if you do, and it will totally bring my inspiration back on my side since my muse is still missing for the holiday. **


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